Facebook killers:

[Al-khiyal]

Man who killed wife over Facebook posting jailed for life

October 17, 2008 -- A jealous husband who stabbed his wife to death because he felt "humiliated" over a posting she made on the social networking website Facebook was jailed for life today.

Wayne Forrester told police he was "devastated" that wife Emma had changed her online profile to "single" four days after he had moved out.

Forrester, an HGV driver, drove to the marital home in New Addington, near Croydon, south London, armed with a kitchen knife and a meat cleaver in the early hours of February 18.

Fuelled by cocaine and alcohol, he attacked his wife as she lay in bed, beating her, tearing out clumps of her hair, and stabbing her in the head and neck.

Neighbours who heard screaming called police, who found him sitting outside covered in blood, and he confessed to the killing.

Forrester believed his wife, a payroll administrator, was having an affair and had made threats to kill her, the Old Bailey heard. The couple had been together for 15 years.

Judge Brian Barker, the Common Serjeant of London, told him: "You committed a terrible act. There is no possible excuse or justification.

"This is a tragic killing and what you have done has caused untold anguish."

Relatives of the victim wept as the 34-year-old, who pleaded guilty to murder at an earlier hearing, was jailed for life with a minimum term of 14 years.

In a statement to police after the murder, he said: "Emma and I had just split up. She forced me out.

"She then posted messages on an internet website telling everyone she had left me and was looking to meet other men.

"I loved Emma and felt totally devastated and humiliated about what she had done to me."

Alex Lewis, prosecuting, said neighbours had been woken by screaming at around 6.30am on the day of the murder and police were alerted.

"They found the lifeless body of Emma Forrester lying on the floor just inside the hallway.

"She had been stabbed repeatedly in what was a brutal and sustained attack."

Lewis said the couple had had a "volatile" marriage with Emma sometimes taking two jobs to support herself and her husband, who was often out of work.

The relationship deteriorated further over Christmas last year and her husband finally moved out on Valentine's Day.

He began making telephone threats and her father Robert Rothery would often stay at home with her to look after her.

The day before the murder, Forrester rang his wife's parents and complained about his wife's Facebook entry which he said "made her look like a fool".

Later Emma rang her parents to tell them she was going to bed and bolting the front door.

The next morning neighbours heard crashing as the door was broken down.

When police arrived they found Forrester outside, and he held his hands out to be cuffed. His clothes and hands were covered in blood.

He said: "It is my wife's. She is in there. I have killed her."

The officers found her lying in a pool of blood, with a bloodstained kitchen knife beside her. They later also found a blood-stained meat cleaver.

Clumps of Emma's hair were found outside the bedroom and the bannister was broken.

The killer had previous convictions for theft and burglary dating back to the age of 15, the court heard.

In a victim impact statement, Emma's sister Liza Rothery said her death had been "devastating" to her and parents Robert and Frances.

Her father felt guilty at his "inability to protect his daughter when she needed him", she said.

"What on earth could Emma have done to result in such a brutal, callous attack on a defenceless woman?"

[Bent_Bladi]

psychopath anyone? sheeeesh

[Al-khiyal]

Facebook killer jailed for 18 years

January 25, 2009 -- A British man who murdered his wife after becoming enraged when she changed her relationship status on Facebook to "single" has been jailed for at least 18 years.

Edward Richardson, 41, stabbed wife Sarah, 26, to death in a "frenzied and brutal" attack at her parents' home in Biddulph, central England, in May.

The couple had been living apart since the previous month, said Fiona Cortese, a spokeswoman for the Crown Prosecution Service.

"Richardson became enraged when Sarah changed her marital status on Facebook to single and decided to go and see her as she was not responding to his [text] messages," Ms Cortese said.

"He gained entry by breaking the front door window and made his way into the property.

"He found Sarah in her bedroom and subjected her to a frenzied and brutal attack with a knife and then attempted to take his own life."

Sarah Richardson's parents, Beryl and Alan Boote, said they were left devastated by her murder after the verdict on Thursday.

"We hope that Richardson will be an old man before he's ever allowed out of prison," they said.

[Al-khiyal]

Online daters warned to avoid murder suspect

February 10, 2009 -- A man suspected of burning his girlfriend to death in her own home has a history of meeting women through dating and social networking websites, police have warned.

Greater Manchester police believe George Appleton may have tried to contact women on Facebook and other sites since going on the run last Friday, when the badly burned body of Clare Wood, 36, was discovered at her home in Salford.

He is a regular user of Facebook and is known to use a number of aliases on dating websites. Anyone who has made contact with him in recent days is urged not to arrange to meet him, but to call the police.

Wood was discovered in the bedroom of her house on Friday afternoon. Appleton, 40, who lives nearby, is understood to have been in a relationship with Wood, who had a 10-year-old daughter.

Detective Superintendent Pete Jackson, who is leading the investigation, said: "George, if you are hearing this message, please listen to me. I want to speak to you and I want you to get some help. Please phone your solicitor or the police. Please tell us where you are and whether you are OK so we can get you some proper help."

He added: "We are investigating the horrible murder of a young mum and are leaving no stone unturned to find the person who killed her."

At least four women are thought to have contacted police to say they had online contact with Appleton before Wood's murder. On his Facebook page, Appleton, who is unemployed, lists his activities as "wouldent ya like to know" and his interests as "music, computors, DJing, films".

Wood had reportedly recently signed up to Zoosk, one of Britain's top dating sites. She wrote in her ad: "I am a talkative, affectionate woman who would love to hear from someone who is relatively sane in my area.I would like to meet a respectful, affectionate man. Not looking for a one-night stand, so if this is what you want walk away.

"Also someone who likes a larger lady is an advantage but they must be flexible as I am shrinking rapidly."

Detectives said the suspect also has a form of the spinal condition spondylitis and is not believed to have any medication with him.

CCTV footage of Appleton taken outside his block of flats in Adelphi Court the day before Wood's body was found in nearby St Simon Street was released yesterday.

He is seen wearing tracksuit bottoms with a white stripe down the leg, white Reebok trainers, a dark-coloured padded jacket and a woollen hat with brown, red and purple stripes.

It is possible he is driving a red Ford Escort, registration N554 HYG, and could be parked up, sleeping in his car. He is known to have links in the Warrington area and in Leicestershire and Gloucestershire.

Ms Wood's grandparents Geoff and Catherine Camponi paid tribute to her as a "lovely kind person who would never harm anyone".

Anyone with information about Appleton's whereabouts should contact police on 0161 856 7878, or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

[Al-khiyal]

Police find body in hunt for 'Facebook fugitive'

February 12, 2009 -- Police hunting for a murder suspect dubbed the "Facebook fugitive" found the body of a man hanging in a derelict building today.

Sources at Greater Manchester Police said the dead man may be 40-year-old George Appleton who is wanted in connection with the death of mother-of-one Clare Wood in Salford.

A police spokesman said: "A police search team has found a man's body hanging in a derelict building.

"Just before 1pm today officers looking for the whereabouts of George Appleton found the body off Boond Street in Blackfriars.

"There has been no formal identification of the body."

[Al-khiyal]

Dead girl 'met man on Internet'

October 27, 2009 -- A man is being questioned after the body of a teenager he is believed to have met on the Internet was discovered in a field in County Durham. The 17-year-old's body was found following the arrest of a 32-year-old man for traffic offences on the A177 near Sedgefield on Monday night. Durham Police said the Darlington girl said she was staying with a friend on Sunday night, but failed to return. Her body was found near the Little Chef roundabout off the A689 and A177. The arrested man, of no fixed abode, has links with Liverpool and Stockton-on-Tees, said police. Detective Superintendent Andy Reddick, who is leading the inquiry, said the teenager told her family she would be home by lunchtime on Monday. When she failed to return, her mother repeatedly rang her mobile phone, but could not get a reply. A post-mortem examination is due to be carried out on the girl, who has yet to be formally identified. Durham Police said the arrested man was driving a dark blue Ford Mondeo, which is now being examined by forensic experts. Detectives want to speak to anyone who saw the vehicle between 1900 GMT on Sunday and 1740 GMT on Monday when the man was arrested.

[Al-khiyal]

Teenage girl found dead after meeting stranger on Internet

October 27, 2009 -- Police have issued a warning to young women after a teenager was found dead in Sedgefield, County Durham, having apparently arranged a date with a stranger she met on the Internet. Detectives have launched a murder investigation and a 32-year-old man is being questioned after the girl's body was found in a field on Monday. At a press conference, Detective Chief Inspector Paul Harker said it was a "very tragic case" and added: "My message in terms of meeting people from the Internet is please do not do it unless you are absolutely certain it is safe."

The 17-year-old's body was found after the suspect alerted detectives. He had been arrested earlier that evening for motoring offences and took officers to the scene, near a Little Chef restaurant, close to the junction of the A689 and A177 roads, Durham Police said. Durham Police said the teenage girl, who has not been formally identified, left her home in Darlington on Sunday night, telling her mother she was staying overnight with a friend. It is believed that she had secretely arranged to meet a man she had met on the Internet. Mr Harker urged parents to monitor their children's use of the web. "Speak to them about it, speak to their friends, let them know the dangers of the internet," he said.

The girl's body was fully clothed when it was found and there was no indication the girl had been sexually assaulted, the officer confirmed. She has yet to be formally identified. Asked about any injuries to the body, he said there was "nothing obvious" to show how she may have died. On Monday lunchtime when the girl's mother became increasingly concerned for her daughter's welfare, she repeatedly rang her daughter's mobile phone to find out where she was and could not get a reply. But the teenager was not reported missing to police.

It was following the arrest of the man, who has links to the Stockton and Liverpool areas, that the discovery was made. While he was being held in custody at Middlesbrough police station he asked to speak to detectives. He then agreed to go with them and led them to a field close to the Little Chef. Mr Harker said: "We are trying to establish exactly who this is. He has given us a couple of different names and we are trying to establish through fingerprints his identity. There is a strong suggestion he is from the Merseyside area."